"She picked it up and put it back. The dial tone stopped.
'That's a good girl. Now, you come outside.'"
–JOYCE CAROL OATES
"Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been?"
INNER CITY STORIES
I used to be a good girl
Good grades, sunny days
So good I was always praised
But things changed.
Started to switch lanes
Smoking every day, drinking where I stay
Always had something to say
But it’s okay . . . right?
As long as I’m safe at night
Not to mention I liked to fight
So it was always, on site I was tight, packed a lot of might
I wasn’t worried about riding bikes or flying kites
I was worried about where I was going to sleep the next night
Daddy wasn’t around, actually nowhere to be found
That’s what bought me down, in so deep I think I might drown
But they tell me to fix my frown, yah know what they say, “turn it upside down”
But things change, right?
I’ll be back soon, maybe in springtime when the flowers bloom.
Soon, I say, soon.